Freedom, Session 18

“Let us vote, then.” Havash says.
There is some deliberation among the gathered slaves. The other faction leaders stand up, each say “Who is with me?” Varis does not stand. None of the other slaves stand with the faction leaders. Havash turns to Mina and says “It seems you have carried the day, so now what?”

Mina’s plan is, at first, a surgical strike to Crurex. Marc, Varis and three people from Granj’s faction will sneak into the overseer huts through the guard tower. Mina, Kindrok and Urrgos will make a faux camp outside the tower to keep watch and be back-up. Marc will assassinate the guards in the tower, two of the humans will take the roles of the guards to avoid detection while Varis, Marc and the third human will sneak into the overseer huts and get Crurex out and back to Mina and the half-giants.

Vignette 1: The Assasination

Varis stealthily clambers through the berm stairs and onto the ladder, while Marc watches carefully. Marc mimics Kallak’s voice in one guard’s mind. The guard is deeply confused, frightened, and driven to leave the guard post. Varis launches his attack against the guards. One guard jumps off the tower and runs to the south. Varis attacks the other one harshly. He fails to kill him, and Mina, watching from below, puts into action her plan B — she chants an incantation and the guard’s eyes widen with fear and confusion before he falls down dead. The slaves are instantly suspicious, but Mina convinces them it doesn’t matter, at least for the moment. Marc took one of the slave with him, ignorning Mina’s plan to keep two people in the guard tower to avoid detection. Mina climbs up into the guard tower. Once they get to the overseer huts, their plan seems to be somewhat less than well planned.

While they locate Crurex, Mina and the slave encounter the other guard returning from his bogus mission. Mina sends the slave for Kindrok, and kicks the guard in the face as he climbs up the ladder. The guard stabs wildly at Mina, misses, and Kindrok knocks him off the guard tower. Mina jumps down, punches him in the face, and gets him ready to be pummeled by Kindrok. Luckily the guard had his breath knocked out of him and is quiet, but still capable of attacking Mina back. He misses Mina entirely. Again. If it weren’t so important to be quiet, Mina would have chuckled at him. Unfortunately Kindrok misses. Finally Kindrok manages to snap the guard’s neck, without the guard having made a sound.

The others have some difficulty locating Crurex. Marc decides that they should split up and search for the traitor, going from hut to hut. Finally, after far more time than is perhaps desireable, Marc manages to discover Crurex asleep in his hut. Marc, not being the type to get his hands especially dirty, coos out in his best sand owl imitation to Varis. Varis sneaks into Cruerex’s room, and, not hesitating for one second, drills his hand silently into Cruerex’s throat and instantly kills him with much bloody gore. The slaves carry Cruerex’s body back to the guard tower. As they near the guard tower Mina sees two guards approaching the fire. By some magic of the sands of Athas Urrgos does not get Mina and the slave discovered in the guard tower. Things have gone surprisingly well. Kindrok and Varis string up Cruerex and take Granj down. Mina and Urrgos, with some help from Marc distract the gate guards so Varis and Kindrok can be successful.

Vignette 2: Waiting

Before Mina, Marc, Varis, the half-giants, and the slaves departed for their clandestine death mission, Mina gave further instructions to the others to prepare for the assault on the slave pens. Cavaisadeen is to gather forces to help him in his assault on the guards and templars. Haaku is gathering the sick and dying after going to Yarik for permission to bring the weak ones to the dwarves for safety, and possibly escape through the dwarf tunnels.

Haaku successfully collects quite a few sick or dying people. and takes them back to the dwarves. Once there, Haaku again finds himself on a mission of mercy to help the sick and the dying, and to generally make Mina and her crew look good. On the other hand, Yarik is still less than excited to see Haaku, given the trouble that seems to follow Haaku everywhere he goes. Grudgingly, Yarik agrees to provide shelter and relative safety to the weakest slaves at the dwarf encampment, and appreciates the heads up that Haaku gives him regarding the next morning’s escape attempt.

When Mina and the others get back to Cavaisadeen and Havash, Mina speaks with Cavasiadeen and tells him that his people need to get into the work area directly before the strike to collect as many improvised weapons as possible.

Vignette 3: The Morning

Just before first light the slaves gather, preparing to collect their morning water. As the first streams of sunlight push through the deep olive of the sky, the slaves see the mangled body of Crurex dangling where, the night before, Granj had unceremoniously been strung. From the crowd, Mina’s voice rings out, strong and loud: “Today, my friends, you see what happens to a slave who betrays his own.” She strides forward out of the crowd, Haaku next to her. “We are many, and they are few, we can fight back against injustice, against brutality. Take up arms, and free yourselves!”

The plan was for Cavaisadeen to gather as many as he could to attack the guards, while Havash and his people were to rush the gate in an attempt to escape. Apparently, while Mina and the others were busy gathering together Crurex, Cavaisadeen and Havash made new plans. Mina is, at first, shocked and worried when she watches Cavaisadeen and less than ten followers target one guard and begin to beat him with bare hands. Havash runs into the mixing area, and suddenly their plan comes clear. Havash and many others are passing make-shift weapons all around. Mina and Marc run into the work area, and help in the effort to pass out weapons. Cavaisadeen and his people have stripped the now dead guard of his weapons, and Mina spots a sword on one of the four guards at the gate. She calls to her half-giants to help her, and charges the gate.